PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Aug 6, 2019 10:28:27 GMT -5
We are usually told that greedy people who scheme to get ahead and buy lots of material things are those who serve mammon. People who “trust in their riches” are the ones who serve mammon, right? Funny how none of this is what Jesus said...
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
—Matthew 6:24-34
Jesus didn’t say “don’t be too greedy.” He said take no thought for your life. If anything in this material world distracts or diverts you from doing the Lord’s work, eventually it will catch up with you. If you’re willing to pray for the sick as long as He doesn’t ask you to look foolish in public, you are serving two masters. If you’re willing to be salt and light in the workplace as long as it doesn’t cost you favor with the in-crowd, you are serving two masters. If you’re willing to answer that phone call from a friend in need... as soon as this playoff game is over... you are serving two masters.
So often I hear Christians complain that the Lord never seems to use them. Yet they busy themselves with the affairs of this world, and thus they never end up in the right place at the right time. They let their unbelieving friends pick the restaurant, and then no ministry happens during dinner. What a surprise. They spend two hours watching a movie because an unbelieving coworker said they simply had to see it, and then no ministry happens in their home that night... what a surprise.
How many times on a daily basis do you let the world make decisions for you? Do you really suppose they are going to position you for the Lord’s work? What would happen if you stopped trying so hard to please other people, and you started to think about what would please Jesus? Even in something so simple as the restaurant you choose for dinner. It could be the difference on whether you have an encounter for ministry.
You cannot serve the world around you while also serving Jesus. You cannot please both. You cannot fit in with both. Whose approval really means more to you? You can choose only one.
And if you think I’m telling you to quit your job, you are reading this in the flesh.
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Post by John on Aug 6, 2019 10:49:12 GMT -5
You make a lot of excellent points, but the relationship to not worrying and serving mammon are this. Many serve mammon out of fear of doing without. They will put all of their efforts into serving their god Mammon so he will be their provision. God calls us to place our trust in him for our necessities.
Why do people put their trust in false gods? Protection. Provision. Blessings in general. I was reading where some proclaimed faith in the Queen of Heaven, because they were seemingly blessed so long as their daily sacrifices to her continued. Who is our faith in, God or Mammon to meet our needs?
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Post by frienduff on Aug 6, 2019 11:00:10 GMT -5
We are usually told that greedy people who scheme to get ahead and buy lots of material things are those who serve mammon. People who “trust in their riches” are the ones who serve mammon, right? Funny how none of this is what Jesus said... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
—Matthew 6:24-34Jesus didn’t say “don’t be too greedy.” He said take no thought for your life. If anything in this material world distracts or diverts you from doing the Lord’s work, eventually it will catch up with you. If you’re willing to pray for the sick as long as He doesn’t ask you to look foolish in public, you are serving two masters. If you’re willing to be salt and light in the workplace as long as it doesn’t cost you favor with the in-crowd, you are serving two masters. If you’re willing to answer that phone call from a friend in need... as soon as this playoff game is over... you are serving two masters. So often I hear Christians complain that the Lord never seems to use them. Yet they busy themselves with the affairs of this world, and thus they never end up in the right place at the right time. They let their unbelieving friends pick the restaurant, and then no ministry happens during dinner. What a surprise. They spend two hours watching a movie because an unbelieving coworker said they simply had to see it, and then no ministry happens in their home that night... what a surprise. How many times on a daily basis do you let the world make decisions for you? Do you really suppose they are going to position you for the Lord’s work? What would happen if you stopped trying so hard to please other people, and you started to think about what would please Jesus? Even in something so simple as the restaurant you choose for dinner. It could be the difference on whether you have an encounter for ministry. You cannot serve the world around you while also serving Jesus. You cannot please both. You cannot fit in with both. Whose approval really means more to you? You can choose only one. And if you think I’m telling you to quit your job, you are reading this in the flesh. ED ZACHARY dear sister . Exactly . And most folks will compare their own covetousness against the covetousness of men like COPELAND . ANd realize not THEY ARE COVETOUS TOO . Because they tell themselves things like , WELL I aint greedy like they are . NO , in order to learn truth , one must learn GODLINESS with CONTENTMENT . BE content with such things as ye have , be content with food and clothes . THE KEY is GODLINESS and contentment . But I have heard many who are quite poor use their lifestyle as an example to try and prove they are not covetous . BUT If a man is not covetous , THEN WHY WOULD HE SIT UNDER men who even TEACH that prosperity gospel . ME THINKS we SHOULD PONDER THAT ONE . because the bible is right , from the least of them to the greatest of them THEY ARE COVETOUS . I SEE This very clear . A man or woman will SIT under what they love , what they desire , what they COVET . And we , we must sit under CHRIST . WHO taught many things . AND if we LOVE HIM , then we would LOVE THOSE SAYINGS .
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Post by frienduff on Aug 6, 2019 11:03:47 GMT -5
You make a lot of excellent points, but the relationship to not worrying and serving mammon are this. Many serve mammon out of fear of doing without. They will put all of their efforts into serving their god Mammon so he will be their provision. God calls us to place our trust in him for our necessities.
Why do people put their trust in false gods? Protection. Provision. Blessings in general. I was reading where some proclaimed faith in the Queen of Heaven, because they were seemingly blessed so long as their daily sacrifices to her continued. Who is our faith in, God or Mammon to meet our needs?
What we sit under is what we love . And we can tell ourselves all day this is not true , and YET IT IS . IF the poorest of poor SIT under those who teach that prosperity gospel , THEY ARE COVETIOUS for gain . And yes they can tell themselves all day , NO WE ARE NOT . BUT YES THEY ARE . WHY was that stuff SO EMPTY TO ME . AND WHY were JESUS TEACHINGS SO FULLFILLING . ONE WORD . GRACE DID THAT . BUT the desire of , the LOVE of things can ENTER IN and CHOKE THE WORD . TWO WORDS for today . godliness with contentment , LET US LEARN IT FROM CHRIST .
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Post by frienduff on Aug 6, 2019 11:06:14 GMT -5
I will use to examples of men . The false prosperity and the true prosperity .
The false prosperity sees the abundant life as gain of worldly things
The true prosperity sees JESUS AS THE TREASURE .
Let paul sum it up . In prison and stripped of all , awaiting a death sentence , he wrote the words I HAVE ALL AND I ABOUND .
that man had no money to his name , BUT HE DID HAVE JESUS .
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PG4Him
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Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Aug 6, 2019 11:15:47 GMT -5
I am nailing this down as a matter of practical life for Christians. Jesus said this to His disciples, not to pagans. If we spend more time talking about our dinner plans than we spend on serving Jesus, this shows what comes from the abundance of the heart. How much do we care about wearing the latest fashions, having the latest iPhone, or seeing the important TV shows? This is how unbelievers live. Are we good little servants to the ways of this world, or do we let the Lord direct our steps?
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PG4Him
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Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Aug 6, 2019 11:32:14 GMT -5
Seems like I usually have a different view of reading verses. Somehow I don’t read them the same way other Christians do. I never saw this passage as a matter of being worried where your next meal will come from. To me when Jesus said life is more than food and raiment, He was saying that real life is not found in being obsessed with what you wear. it doesn’t matter what you eat for dinner, whether sushi or pinto beans, just eat what the Lord gives you. It doesn’t matter what you wear, whether a T-shirt from a thrift store or a dress from Nordstrom‘s, just wear what the Lord gives you. Don’t put your identity in doing what’s important to this world. For my whole life as a Christian believer, I have always read the passage this way.
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Post by 2fw8212a on Aug 6, 2019 11:36:04 GMT -5
The false prosperity sees the abundant life as gain of worldly things The true prosperity sees JESUS AS THE TREASURE .
Read more in the book of Job. A lot to learn from there.
Blessings! |
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Post by John on Aug 6, 2019 11:53:21 GMT -5
Seems like I usually have a different view of reading verses. Somehow I don’t read them the same way other Christians do. I never saw this passage as a matter of being worried where your next meal will come from. To me when Jesus said life is more than food and raiment, He was saying that real life is not found in being obsessed with what you wear. it doesn’t matter what you eat for dinner, whether sushi or pinto beans, just eat what the Lord gives you. It doesn’t matter what you wear, whether a T-shirt from a thrift store or a dress from Nordstrom‘s, just wear what the Lord gives you. Don’t put your identity in doing what’s important to this world. For my whole life as a Christian believer, I have always read the passage this way.
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PG4Him
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Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Aug 6, 2019 11:58:32 GMT -5
I shall humbly make one more comment along these lines, and then I will leave it be. Jesus did not say Gentiles worship mammon, only that they serve it because they think so much about what they might eat or drink. And He didn’t say they serve other gods because of mammon. He said they are servants of mammon because they care so very much about it. We can put faith in God to meet our needs while we still spend a lot of energy asking what we shall eat.
Anyway it is but it brought me to reading the passage the way I have. But it is not worth an argument.
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Post by John on Aug 6, 2019 12:12:32 GMT -5
I shall humbly make one more comment along these lines, and then I will leave it be. Jesus did not say Gentiles worship mammon, only that they serve it because they think so much about what they might eat or drink. And He didn’t say they serve other gods because of mammon. He said they are servants of mammon because they care so very much about it. We can put faith in God to meet our needs while we still spend a lot of energy asking what we shall eat. Anyway it is but it brought me to reading the passage the way I have. But it is not worth an argument.
I see this as worth discussing, but not arguing over, because the things you mentioned are mostly covered elsewhere.
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Post by Tabitha3319 on Aug 6, 2019 12:46:23 GMT -5
I'm only curious. Why does it matter who picks the restaurant?
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Post by John on Aug 6, 2019 12:53:26 GMT -5
I'm only curious. Why does it matter who picks the restaurant?
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Post by frienduff on Aug 6, 2019 15:15:36 GMT -5
The false prosperity sees the abundant life as gain of worldly things The true prosperity sees JESUS AS THE TREASURE .
Read more in the book of Job. A lot to learn from there.
Blessings!Exactly . IF we want to learn what it means to take suffering patiently , look at the examples also in JOB. The man lost his animals , his sons and daughters , AND SIMPLY SAID the GOOD LORD gives and the GOOD LORD takes away , BLESSED BE THE LORD . IN this job sinned not nor blamed God foolishly . We should not whine about what we lose , what we suffer , We should take it patiently . AND when persecuted from men for JESUS sake , REJIOCE IN the LORD . Me thinks way too many have sat under the blab it and grab it and God is here to meet our every request cause we kings kids syndrome . THE JOY is all in OBEYING THE LORD . THAT IS where the joy truly IS . And every saying is a joy and happy is the one who hears and does those sayings . The problem is , most teachers minds are still very carnal in nature . Their minds were not seasoned in the word of GOD , rather they learned to mold the word of GOD to suit their own carnal desires . INSTEAD of letting the WORD mold and shape their minds and hearts , THEY twist and try and change the word to suit their still carnal desires . Its so sad man . So sad . BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE LORD and WORSHIP HIM in SPIRIT and IN TRUTH , Being Born again , not by flesh but by the LIVING WORD CHRIST the KING , those got all hope no matter what comes against them , BECAUSE ....................because their HOPE IS IN THE LORD and cant no man take THAT JOY CANT no loss take that joy , cant no threat take that joy , They just abound no matter what , FOR IT IS THE SHEPARD THEY FOLLOW and OBEY and they have ALL HOPE .
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Post by frienduff on Aug 6, 2019 15:21:37 GMT -5
And on that note , PRAISE THE HOLY LORD .
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